Pants-Type Disposable Absorbent Hygiene Article

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a pant-type disposable absorbent hygiene article ( 2 ), comprising a waist edge ( 20 ), sealed all around the periphery thereof, forming a waist opening and with leg openings ( 8 ), wherein longitudinal side edge sections ( 16 ),  18 ) of a front piece ( 6 ) and a back piece ( 4 ) are joined together by the manufacturer to form the waist edge ( 20 ), sealed all around the periphery thereof and the leg openings ( 8 ), and having an absorbent body ( 22 ) and elasticising means ( 38 ) at least in the region of the leg openings ( 8 ). The aim of the invention is to improve the wearing comfort. This aim is achieved, in that, before the longitudinal side edge sections ( 16, 18 ) are joined together by the manufacturer, the hygiene article, when laid flat, is provided with a first elasticised periphery section ( 44 ), followed by a second non-elasticised periphery section ( 46 ), followed by a third elasticised periphery section ( 48 ) and followed by a fourth non-elasticised periphery section ( 49 ), extending from a longitudinal side edge ( 12, 14 ) of the front piece ( 6 ) or back piece ( 4 ) of the article, towards a crotch center line ( 42 ), along a periphery ( 40 ) of a corresponding leg opening ( 8 ).

The invention concerns a pants-type disposable absorbent hygiene articlewith a hip edge which is continuously closed in the peripheral directionand forms a hip opening, and with leg openings, wherein the hip edgewhich is continuously closed in the peripheral direction and the legopenings are formed by connecting longitudinal side edge sections of afront part and rear part to each other at the manufacturing plant, andhaving an absorbent body and elasticising means at least in the area ofthe leg openings.

Conventional pants-type absorbent hygiene articles of this type usuallycomprise a plurality of elasticising means, often in the form ofrubber-elastic threads which are mostly glued to chassis materials inthe pretensioned state. A hip edge area is thereby usually preferablycontinuously elasticised in the peripheral direction. Conventionalpants-type diapers also have elasticising means in the front and rearareas. The peripheral areas forming or surrounding the leg openings arealso continuously elasticised to ensure tight fit of the hygiene articleon the skin surface of the user in order to prevent lateral escape ofbody excretions.

Abutment of pretensioned, elasticised areas on the skin surfaceespecially in the area of the leg openings can cause skin irritationsdue to friction or force exerted by the mostly thread-shapedelasticising means. This problem is aggravated by the presence ofadditional moisture within the hygiene article due to body liquids orperspiration and is aggravated by increasing activity, i.e. movement ofthe user.

Departing therefrom, it is the underlying purpose of the presentinvention to improve the wearing comfort of absorbent hygiene articlesof the above-mentioned type and, in particular, reduce skin irritation.

This object is achieved in accordance with the invention with a hygienearticle of this type in that a first elasticising peripheral section,adjacent thereto, a second non-elasticising peripheral section, adjacentthereto, a third elasticising peripheral section, and adjacent thereto,a fourth non-elasticising peripheral section are provided in the flatstate before connecting the longitudinal side edge sections at themanufacturing plant, extending from a longitudinal side edge of thefront part or rear part of the article along the periphery of arespective leg opening towards a center crotch line.

In accordance with the invention, it is not necessary to elasticise theentire leg opening of a pants-type diaper. In view of the fact thatmodern hygiene articles have additional upright collar elements,so-called “cuff elements”, which extend substantially in thelongitudinal direction and which form a lateral barrier for escapingliquid and solid body excretions, leg openings which are continuouslyelasticised in the peripheral direction no longer appear to beabsolutely necessary. Since the elasticising means gather or frill thematerial to which they are connected in the pretensioned state, theyaccumulate material in the relaxed state which may be uncomfortable e.g.during sitting. In any event, gathered or frilled areas, i.e.elasticised areas, severely rub the skin surface of the user, inparticular while he/she is moving, which can cause the above-mentionedskin irritation. It has turned out in accordance with the invention thatthis can be counteracted by only using elasticising means in the crotcharea at locations where they are actually required. In accordance withthe invention, the wearing comfort is improved in that a secondnon-elasticised peripheral section is disposed between the firstperipheral section facing the hip area and the third peripheral sectiondisposed between the legs of the user, and a further non-elasticisedfourth peripheral section is provided in the area of a center crotchline. The respective material sections of the second and fourthperipheral section of the hygiene article abut the skin surface of theuser with slight pretension. Since the second peripheral section is notsubjected to permanently changing gathering or frilling, it does not rubon the surface of the skin. Moreover, air exchange with the inside ofthe hygiene article is possible, which considerably improves themicroclimate in the areas of the skin surface covered by the hygienearticle.

An improvement in accordance with the invention is already achieved byproviding such a non-elasticised second peripheral section only alongthe peripheral area of the two leg openings facing the front part. In afurther development of this basic inventive idea, the peripheral areasin the front part and also in the rear part are advantageously designedin accordance with the invention such that at least threenon-elasticised peripheral sections are provided for each leg opening.

In another advantageous fashion, elasticising means extendingsubstantially in one transverse direction are provided in the crotcharea of the hygiene article. Such an elasticising means in the area ofthe absorption body can produce a desired contracting motion of thesuction body in the crotch area. The absorption body is advantageouslynarrow in the crotch area while still providing sufficient absorbingcapacity, i.e. absorbent material. The surface density in this area maybe increased through contraction in order to provide a large absorptioncapacity in this area. Moreover, elasticising means extending in atransverse direction in the crotch area provide the hygiene article withits shape. The crotch area is advantageously cup-shaped.

The elasticising means extending substantially in the transversedirection in the crotch area or the elasticising means may be formedseparately from those elasticising means which elasticise the legopenings. In accordance with a further embodiment of the invention, theelasticising means of the third peripheral section advantageously mergeinto the elasticising means of the crotch area, i.e. form theelasticising means extending in a transverse direction in the crotcharea, in that they merge from their extension in the peripheraldirection of the leg openings substantially in the transverse direction.They may thereby branch off in a substantially steady or unsteady curveprogression, wherein a steady progression is preferred. The fourthnon-elasticised peripheral section may be formed by elasticising meansextending from the third peripheral section along a curve to the left,and then traversing the crotch area in a transverse direction. Thefourth, non-elasticised peripheral section advantageously covers thecenter crotch line. The center crotch line extends through the minimumwidth of the crotch area of the hygiene article. When the minimum cannotbe uniquely determined, the center crotch line extends through thecenter of the crotch area of the hygiene article. The center of thecrotch area of a hygiene article can be determined by disposing anelastic thread or rubber band in the shape of a figure eight about thelegs of a user standing upright or a user lying prostrate on a flatsupport, such that the thread or band crosses at one point between thelegs. This crossing point is defined as the center of the crotch area ofthe hygiene article during proper use.

The respective non-elasticised second and/or fourth peripheral sectionsmay just not be provided with elasticising means. Another feasible andadvantageous possibility is that the elasticising means initiallycontinuously extend in the peripheral direction of the leg openingsduring production of the inventive hygiene article, and thenon-elasticised second and/or fourth peripheral section is/are obtainedby cutting through the previously extended elasticising means. Theelasticising means will then relax or retract unless they are connected,e.g. glued to chassis-forming materials in the second and/or fourthperipheral section. This connection of the elasticising means shouldthen be limited to the first and third peripheral section which issupposed to be elasticised, so that the cut elasticising means in thesecond peripheral section can relax, thereby losing their elasticisingeffect on the second peripheral section.

The elasticising means in the second and/or fourth peripheral sectioncan be separated with one single cut. However, it may be feasible andadvantageous to sever the elasticising means using a plurality of cutssuch that the elasticising means which previously continuously extendedin the second and/or fourth peripheral section are divided into aplurality of small sections, in particular, of a length in themillimeter range, thereby losing their elasticising effect on the secondand/or fourth peripheral section. In this case, the elasticising meansmay also be connected, e.g. glued, to chassis materials in the secondand/or fourth peripheral section without impairing relaxation. Theelasticising means may be easily cut once or several times using lasertechnology.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the invention, thenon-elasticised second and/or fourth peripheral section is obtained inthat the previously extending elasticising means loose theirelasticising effect through application of heat and/or pressure and/orlaser. This may be achieved, in particular, through irradiation withultrasound. It is thereby possible to deactivate a previously extendingpretensioned elasticising means by deforming it, in particular, throughpunctiform or matrix-like application of pressure and/or temperature, inparticular, ultrasound, and, in particular, cutting it such that atleast its elasticising effect on the respective peripheral section iseliminated.

Application of heat and/or pressure is more advantageous than cutting inthat it reduces the danger of chassis-forming materials beinginadvertently cut or perforated. On the other hand, it may beparticularly advantageous to cut or perforate the chassis-formingmaterials in the area of the second and/or fourth peripheral sections,in order to render the hygiene article more breathable at theselocations. In particular, when absorption bodies in the form of afunctional unit having an absorbent structure and a liquid-impermeablebacksheet are used directly below the absorbent structure, the otherchassis materials need not be absolutely impermeable to liquids. It mayeven be desirable to only use air-permeable chassis materials in orderto effect breathability. When the above-mentioned functional units areused as an absorption body, chassis materials of non-woven materials ornon-woven laminates may advantageously be used. Non-woven laminates withbreathable or even liquid-permeable sheets are also feasible. Theabove-mentioned functional units used as an absorption body may alsocomprise integrated topsheet layers, and advantageously uprightelasticising collar elements (so-called “cuffs”) which form a lateraloutlet barrier. Such collar elements may also be provided outside of theabsorption body or the functional unit used as the absorption body.

In accordance with a further inventive idea, a track is advantageouslyprovided which is continuous in the transverse direction for applyingheat and/or pressure and also covers the second and/or fourth peripheralsection of the respective leg opening. This track, which continuouslyextends in the transverse direction, may advantageously be producedthrough continuous, i.e. non-interrupted processing in the machinedirection of the materials forming the hygiene article. This isadvantageous with regard to production.

Reference is made to EP 1 374 814 A1 which discloses a technology ofapplying heat and/or pressure for deactivating elasticising means, theentire disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference.

It has turned out to be suitable and advantageous for the firstelasticising peripheral section to extend in the peripheral direction ofthe leg openings (best viewed in the “flat state” of the sheet materialsforming the hygiene article) by 3 to 15 cm, in particular 4 to 15 cm, inparticular 5 to 15 cm, and moreover preferentially 5 to 13 cm. The “flatstate” thereby means that the hygiene article is disposed or projectedonto a support such that its chassis materials are no longer gathered bythe elasticising means. In correspondence with the above-describedposition of this first peripheral section, the hygiene article, beingreadily configured and applied to a user, extends from the side from theapex, facing the hip, of the respective leg opening in the clockwisedirection or in an anticlockwise direction.

The second non-elasticised peripheral section advantageously extends inthe peripheral direction in the flat state by 1 to 10 cm, in particular2 to 8 cm and preferentially 3 to 8 cm.

The third, likewise elasticised peripheral section advantageouslyextends in the peripheral direction in the flat state by 1 to 8 cm, inparticular 1 to 7 cm, and preferentially 1 to 5 cm.

The fourth non-elasticised peripheral section advantageously extends inthe peripheral direction in the flat state by 1 to 7 cm, in particular 1to 5 cm, and preferentially 1 to 4 cm.

Further features, details and advantages of the invention can beextracted from the enclosed claims and the drawing and the followingdescription of a preferred embodiment of the inventive hygiene article.

FIG. 1 shows a top view of a first embodiment of an inventive hygienearticle in the flat state prior to being connected at the longitudinalside edge areas at the manufacturing plant;

FIG. 2 shows a view of a further embodiment of an inventive hygienearticle which corresponds to FIG. 1.

FIG. 1 shows a hygiene article, designated in total with referencenumeral 2, in the form of a pants-type diaper (“pants”) in the flatstate before being connected at the longitudinal side edge sections atthe manufacturing plant. The hygiene article comprises a rear part 4, afront part 6, and an intermediate crotch part 10 delimiting the futureleg openings 8. In the flat state, the rear part 4 is delimited bylongitudinal side edges 12 and the front part 6 is delimited bylongitudinal side edges 14. These are connected to each other in thearea of the hatched zones 16 and 18 to form the pants shape, i.e.through hot sealing or other conventional joining methods. In thisfashion, two side seam areas of the hygiene article are formed whichcannot be released without causing damage. The readily configuredhygiene article may have a breaking line, e.g. in the form of a releasethread, in particular, along these side seam areas so that the hygienearticle can be opened in the applied state. Additionally, any closingelements, i.e. adhesive or mechanically connecting closure shackles maybe provided so that the hygiene article can be closed again afteropening, like a diaper. The hygiene article is produced by themanufacturer in the form of pants having a hip edge 20 which is closedin the peripheral direction and forms a hip opening which is limited onall sides. It is therefore a pants and not a diaper, which can be openedand closed.

The hygiene article 2 also comprises an absorbent body 22 which may alsobe designed as a functional unit, i.e. may have a liquid absorbingstructure with a liquid-impermeable backsheet and optionally furthercomponents such as e.g. a topsheet and elasticised collar elements, andbe disposed as a functional unit onto chassis-forming materials 24 ofthe hygiene article 2. These chassis-forming materials 24 may e.g. beany backsheet materials or composite materials. Non-woven materials ornon-woven laminates and also non-woven sheet laminates areadvantageously used which have a textile-like surface and are preferablyalso breathable, at least in some areas. The chassis-forming materials24 may also comprise a topsheet layer facing the body which covers theabsorption body 22 and may extend in a transverse direction 26 and/or ina longitudinal direction 28 of the hygiene article 2 up to the edgesthereof.

FIG. 1 also shows elasticising means 30 which continuously extend in thetransverse direction 26 and continuously elasticise a hip edge area 32of the hygiene article 2. Elasticising means 36 are moreover indicatedby dashed lines in the rear part 4 and in the front part 6 at aseparation 34 of 5 to 15 mm from each other, which elasticise onlyregions of the rear part 4 and front part 6 and provide good fit for thehygiene article 2.

Elasticising means 38 are moreover shown which elasticise sections ofthe leg openings 8 as described below:

The elasticising means 38 extend from the longitudinal side edge 12 ofthe rear part 4 along a periphery 40 of the respective leg opening 8 inthe direction towards a center crotch line 42. The elasticising effectof the elasticising means 38 is not continuous to the center crotch line42 but is limited from the longitudinal side edge 12 to a firstperipheral section 44 of the leg openings 8. A second non-elasticisedperipheral section 46 of the leg openings is adjacent thereto, to whichan elasticised third peripheral section 48 is adjacent. This thirdperipheral section 49 is joined by a fourth non-elasticised peripheralsection which extends over the center crotch line 42. The periphery 40of the leg openings 8 is therefore not continuously elasticised. It isnot elasticised in the rear part 4 and/or front part 6 in respectivesecond peripheral sections 46 and in a fourth peripheral section 49.This means that the chassis materials 24 in these second and fourthperipheral sections 46 and 49 are not disposed against the skin surfaceof the user by elastically pretensioning the mostly thread-shapedelasticising means 38, rather softly abut the skin surface. Thisimproves the breathability, i.e. improves ventilation of the areasoutside of the absorption body 22, as is indicated by arrow 50.Moreover, the chassis materials 24 are not gathered or frilled in thesecond and fourth peripheral sections 46 and 49 which increases the skinfriendliness, since skin irritation is reduced.

The second peripheral section 46 of FIG. 1 does not have anyelasticising means 38. This may advantageously be achieved in that theelasticising means 38 initially continuously extend through all threeperipheral sections but are connected, preferably glued, to the chassismaterials 24 only in the first and third peripheral section 44, 48 inthe pretensioned state. The elasticising means 38 must be merely cut inthe second peripheral section 46, and retract due to their pretension,to their fixture in the first and third peripheral sections 44, 48, suchthat the second peripheral section 46 is no longer elasticised. Thefourth peripheral section 49 is thereby not elasticised, such that theelasticising means 38 extend from their extension in the thirdperipheral section 46 along a curve to the inside in the transversedirection 26. The fourth peripheral section 49 is thereby formed betweenthe respective third peripheral section 46 of the rear part 4 and thefront part 6.

The elasticising means 38 in the second peripheral section 46 of thefront part 6 are shown with dotted lines on the left hand side ofFIG. 1. This represents a further embodiment of the invention, in whichthe elasticising means 38, which previously continuously extended fromthe longitudinal side edge 14 to the center crotch line 42, were cutseveral times in the second peripheral section 46 at a separation of 1to 3 mm. In this fashion, the elasticising means 38 in the secondperipheral section 46 are deactivated. Cutting the elasticising means 38several times can be achieved by a knife roller in a production machinewhich rolls over the sheet materials transported in the machinedirection in the transverse direction 26. In this case, the previouslycontinuously disposed elasticising means 38 could also be connected,i.e. glued to the chassis materials 24 in the second peripheral section46, if this seems to be suitable or is desired for production.

In accordance with a further preferred embodiment of the invention whichmay also be indicated by the dashed lines in the front part 6 in FIG. 1on the left hand side, the elasticising means 38 previously continuouslyextending from a longitudinal side edge to the center crotch line 42have lost their elasticising effect in the second peripheral section 46through application of heat and/or pressure. The elasticising means 38may be deactivated or relaxed through application of heat and/orpressure, i.e. through ultrasound welding methods or through a matrix ofheating which results in melting. They are thereby substantiallydestroyed and can no longer elasticise the second peripheral section 46.

Moreover, elasticisation extending in the transverse direction 26 isprovided in the area of the center crotch line 42. This isadvantageously achieved, as mentioned above, in that the above-mentionedelasticising means 38 “bend” inwards from their extension in theperipheral direction in the third peripheral section 48, i.e. aredeflected in the transverse direction 26, and traverse the crotch area10 in the transverse direction 26 below the absorption body 22, i.e.between the absorption body 22 and the chassis materials 24, to thenfurther extend steadily and continuously into the periphery of theopposite leg opening 8. This guidance of the elasticising means 38starting from the third peripheral section 46 is separately claimed andis regarded as an independent invention, i.e. independently of thefurther features of the claims. Departing from the above-describedmethods for relaxing the elasticising means 28 in the second peripheralsection 46, it is possible to continuously guide the elasticising means38 in the machine direction which corresponds to the transversedirection 26, and to join them to the chassis materials 24 of thehygiene article. This is considered to be particularly advantageous.

Finally, reference is made to the collar elements 52 (“cuffs”) providedon both sides of the absorption body 22, which are elasticised andtherefore upright, and which form a lateral barrier for leaking bodyexcretions and also retain liquid body excretions in the area above theabsorption body 42 until they have been absorbed by the absorption body22.

FIG. 2 shows a further embodiment, wherein the elasticising means 38′traverse the crotch area but are subsequently deactivated in aconventional fashion, i.e. they are cut or rendered non-elasticising ina different fashion, in particular through application of heat and/orpressure as mentioned above.

1-16. (canceled)
 17. A pants-shaped disposable absorbent hygiene articlecomprising: a front part; a rear part joined onto said front part duringmanufacture of the hygiene article by connecting longitudinal side edgesof said front and said rear parts to define a hip edge having a hipopening which is continuously closed in a peripheral direction and todefine leg openings; an absorption body cooperating with at least one ofsaid front part and said rear part; a first elasticising peripheralsection; a second non-elasticising peripheral section adjacent to saidfirst elasticising peripheral section; a third elasticising peripheralsection disposed adjacent to said second non-elasticising peripheralsection; and a fourth non-elasticising peripheral section disposedadjacent to said third elasticising peripheral section, wherein, in aflat state prior to connection of said longitudinal side edge sectionsduring manufacture of the hygiene article, said first elasticisingperipheral section, said second non-elasticising peripheral section,said third elasticising peripheral section, and said fourthnon-elasticising peripheral section extend from a longitudinal side edgeof at least one of said front part and said rear part along a peripheryof a respective leg opening towards a center crotch line.
 18. Thehygiene article of claim 17, wherein elasticising means are provided ina crotch area which extend substantially in a transverse direction. 19.The hygiene article of claim 18, wherein said third elasticisingperipheral section merges into said elasticising means in said crotcharea.
 20. The hygiene article of claim 17, wherein said secondnon-elasticising peripheral section is structured by cutting previouslyextending elasticising means.
 21. The hygiene article of claim 20,wherein said cutting comprises a plurality of cuts.
 22. The hygienearticle of claim 17, wherein said second non-elasticising peripheralsection is structured through elimination of a previously extendingelasticising means through application of heat, pressure, and/or laserradiation.
 23. The hygiene article of claim 22, wherein said secondperipheral section is irradiated with ultrasound in an area of apreviously extending elasticising means.
 24. The hygiene article ofclaim 17, wherein said second peripheral section has macroscopicventilation openings in chassis-forming materials thereof.
 25. Thehygiene article of claim 17, wherein said second peripheral section isstructured through application of a heat and/or pressure track which iscontinuous in a transverse direction to cover said second peripheralsection of a respective leg opening.
 26. The hygiene article of claim17, wherein said absorption body comprises a functional unit with anabsorbent structure and a liquid-impermeable back sheet which isconnected to chassis materials of the article.
 27. The hygiene articleof claim 17, wherein chassis materials consist essentially of anon-woven material or a non-woven laminate.
 28. The hygiene article ofclaim 17, wherein said first elasticising peripheral section extends insaid peripheral direction by 3 to 15 cm, 4 to 15 cm, 5 to 15 cm, or 5 to13 cm.
 29. The hygiene article of claim 17, wherein said secondnon-elasticising peripheral section extends in said peripheral directionby 1 to 10 cm, 2 to 8 cm, or 3 to 8 cm.
 30. The hygiene article of claim17, wherein said third elasticising peripheral section extends in saidperipheral direction by 1 to 8 cm, 1 to 7 cm, or 1 to 5 cm.
 31. Thehygiene article of claim 17, wherein said fourth non-elasticisingperipheral section extends in said peripheral direction in a flat stateby 1 to 7 cm, 1 to 5 cm, or 1 to 4 cm.